A campaign for a ballot of NUJ members about the union's policy on a boycott of Israeli goods.

Thursday, 31 May 2007

NEW PETITION FOR ALL NUJ MEMBERS

We have just emailed branch officials across the union(relying on NUJ website for details, which may be optimistic) asking them to tell members about the campaign and, in the interests of democracy, organise branch meetings about the issue. We have also asked them to point members towards this blog - and this amended version of our original petition, which takes in part of a motion carried by the Reuters chapel:

"As NUJ members we are dismayed at the passing of a motion at ADM calling for a boycott of Israeli goods. As members of a profession which prides itself on providing impartial news coverage, we cannot associate ourselves with this policy. We believe motions that take sides on geopolitical matters divide the union's membership and undermine the solidarity it needs to defend our professional interests and campaign for the freedom, safety and welfare of fellow journalists around the world. We call on the union to hold a ballot of all members to see whether they support the view taken at ADM on an issue which could have a profound effect on the way all British journalists are viewed at home and abroad."

1 comment:

If such a ballot wee held, and it found that the majority of the members did not support the motion as passed, all that would do is tell us that the members do not agree. It would not overturn ADM's decision. You need a SDM (Special) or next year's ADM to overturn it.The quick and easiest alternative is to get the NEC to ignore ADM's instruction and then vote against censuring the NEC at next year's ADM.